Nick's "4 Options in 4 Days" Two-Round NFL Mock Draft (Option 1: DT Fletcher Cox)

Today begins my attempt to mock four options in four days. Meaning, I’m going to try and make a new mock for the next four days leading up to the draft that shows how things might fall if the Rams take one of four options – Justin Blackmon, Trent Richardson, Morris Claiborne, or the new hot rumor on the market, Fletcher Cox.

We’ll start with Cox today, and see how things could fall should the Rams elect to go in that direction. Due to the number of mocks I’m hoping to pump out in the next 96 hours, I’m not going to add explanations to the picks, but will be happy to answer any questions or comments you may have about particular picks.


Round One
1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford
2. Washington Redskins (f/STL): Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor
3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, USC
4. Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU
6. St. Louis Rams (f/WAS): Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State
7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State
8. Miami Dolphins: Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M
9. Carolina Panthers: Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina
10. Buffalo Bills: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame
11. Kansas City Chiefs: Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College
12. Seattle Seahawks: Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina
13. Arizona Cardinals: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa
14. Dallas Cowboys: Mark Barron, SS, Alabama
15. Philadelphia Eagles: Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis
16. New York Jets: Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina
17. Cincinnati Bengals (f/OAK): David DeCastro, OG, Stanford
18. San Diego Chargers: Michael Brockers, DL, LSU
19. Chicago Bears: Nick Perry, DE, USC
20. Tennessee Titans: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama
21. Cincinnati Bengals: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor
22. Cleveland Browns (f/ ATL): Cordy Glenn, OT, Georgia
23. Detroit Lions: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford
24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Dont’a Hightower, LB, Alabama
25. Denver Broncos: Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State
26. Houston Texans: Rueben Randle, WR, LSU
27. New England Patriots (f/ NO): Shea McClellin, LB, Boise State
28. Green Bay Packers: Courtney Upshaw, LB, Alabama
29. Baltimore Ravens: Peter Konz, OL, Wisconsin
30. San Francisco *****: Kevin Zeitler, OG, Wisconsin
31. New England Patriots: Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois
32. New York Giants: Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford

Round Two
33. St. Louis Rams: Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech
34. Indianapolis Colts: Devon Still, DT, Penn State
35. Minnesota Vikings: Harrison Smith, SS, Notre Dame
36. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Doug Martin, RB, Boise State
37. Cleveland Browns: Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina
38. Jacksonville Jaguars: Andre Branch, DE, Clemson
39. St. Louis Rams (f/WAS): Amini Silatolu, OG, Midwestern State
40. Carolina Panthers: Brandon Thompson, DT, Clemson
41. Buffalo Bills: Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State
42. Miami Dolphins: Chandler Jones, DE, Syracuse
43. Seattle Seahawks: Brandon Weeden, QB, Oklahoma State
44. Kansas City Chiefs: Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama
45. Dallas Cowboys: Kelechi Osemele, OL, Iowa State
46. Philadelphia Eagles: Bobby Massie, OT, Mississippi
47. New York Jets: Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers
48. New England Patriots (f/OAK): Kendall Reyes, DT, UConn
49. San Diego Chargers: Vinny Curry, LB, Marshall
50. Chicago Bears: Chris Givens, WR, Wake Forest
51. Philadelphia Eagles (f/ARI): Zach Brown, LB, North Carolina
52. Tennessee Titans: Lavonte David, LB, Nebraska
53. Cincinnati Bengals: Jayron Hosley, CB, Virginia Tech
54. Detroit Lions: Josh Robinson, CB, UCF
55. Atlanta Falcons: Dwayne Allen, TE, Clemson
56. Pittsburgh Steelers: Alameda Ta'amu, NT, Washington
57. Denver Broncos: Lamar Miller, RB, Miami
58. Houston Texans: Bruce Irvin, LB, West Virginia
59. Green Bay Packers: Chris Polk, RB, Washington
60. Baltimore Ravens: A.J. Jenkins, WR, Illinois
61. San Francisco *****: Jared Crick, DL, Nebraska
62. New England Patriots: Trumaine Johnson, CB, Montana
63. New York Giants: Jeff Allen, OL, Illinois

If Hill fell to us at #33 I would be all over that, even if we had taken Blackmon at #6. I also really like the pick Silatolu at #39.

I'm a bit surprised that you have AJ Jenkins sneaking into round 2, and not maybe a Brian Quick/Marvin Jones/Juron Criner/Marvin McNutt instead.

I would be reasonably happy with this draft.

However, the thing with the Fletcher Cox pick is that the WR options in round 2 aren't great. Stephen Hill most likely won't be a day one starter because he is quite raw. And because Reuben Randle's stock is rising he doesn't make it to round 2. That means if you don't take Hill your other top WR options are Jeffrey and Sanu, who I don't really like.

So to me, you take Blackmon in the first, because he will start from day 1. Then you can take a Devon Still, Brandon Thompson, Alameda Ta'amu or Kendell Reyes who will most likely start from day 1.

Tomahawk, I've had this debate with myself many times over the last few weeks. And either way it's a gamble.

Do you get a proven playmaker at WR who may not have the best mesureables, but who has the same height as Bruce and Holt, who dominated in the GSOT? Do you get your choice of the equally good DT class? Cox has seemingly risen to the top, but Poe and Brockers have top 10 raw talent as well. Further, I think that there are more teams in need of a DT at the tail end of round one than WR.

I don't agree that the Bengals will be going for a WR in round 1. They have holes at CB, OG, LB and DL, which are bigger than that for WR. In this case, they picked the guard and then lost out on Brockers and Kirkpatrick before their second pick, but I'd still expect them to go elsewhere rather than WR.

The Texans could go in a few directions, but WR does seem to be right for them. I don't know what they're lookng for, but local hero Wright could be chosen, as well as Hill in trying to grab a height AND vertical threat in Hill who can learn from Johnson. Randle would of course be an option as well.

At the end of the day, I think I agree with you as the options at #33 could be feast or famine for WR's. And I'll deal with Still or Reyes or Thompson, or my new 2nd round fave, Ta'amu. He's a clogger who can shut down run lanes, and hopefully get some push in the pass rush that commands double teams away from Long and Quinn.

I believe there will be several trades during the draft making it impossible to mock accurately. So if you're going to spend all that time Nick, I think you'd better add some trades to your mocks.

Nick good draft... I know you don't like it and I hope this is not the play...

This mock shows exactly why I don't want the Rams to take Cox in Round 1.

I'd much rather be choosing between Still, Thompson and Ta'amu at DT in Round 2 than having to resort to taking Hill, Jeffery or Sanu as the top WR acquisition.

Good job, Nick.

I agree with AV that the downside of this is that the 2nd round DTs are better than the 2nd round WRs. No Cox, Brockers, or Poe.....but I'll take Still, Thompson, Reyes, Worthy, or Ta'amu instead.

The other thing is that Cox and Langford are both UT's (3-technique, if you will). We're still without a nose. Granted, Still/Reyes/Worthy are all considered UT's as well. But I'd rather spend a 2nd round on an "extra" piece than a 1st round pick.

I think the only way we would take Fletcher Cox in round 1 is if we trade for a number 1 WR from somewhere

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DA84

If Hill fell to us at #33 I would be all over that, even if we had taken Blackmon at #6. I also really like the pick Silatolu at #39.

I'm a bit surprised that you have AJ Jenkins sneaking into round 2, and not maybe a Brian Quick/Marvin Jones/Juron Criner/Marvin McNutt instead.

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At that point in the draft, Jenkins was my highest rated receiver. I'd probably take him over the other names you mentioned if I were picking in the late second round.

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Originally Posted by tomahawk247

So to me, you take Blackmon in the first, because he will start from day 1. Then you can take a Devon Still, Brandon Thompson, Alameda Ta'amu or Kendell Reyes who will most likely start from day 1.

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I think you're right. I think you have better odds of getting two Day One starters by taking Blackmon/BDTA with the first two picks than you do taking Cox/BWRA.

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Originally Posted by TekeRam

I don't agree that the Bengals will be going for a WR in round 1. They have holes at CB, OG, LB and DL, which are bigger than that for WR. In this case, they picked the guard and then lost out on Brockers and Kirkpatrick before their second pick, but I'd still expect them to go elsewhere rather than WR.

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I would have loved to go CB or DT with their second pick, but I didn't see great value at either spot. They weren't going to double up on OL after taking DeCastro, so WR was the next best thing.

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Originally Posted by Fortuninerhater

I believe there will be several trades during the draft making it impossible to mock accurately. So if you're going to spend all that time Nick, I think you'd better add some trades to your mocks.

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While I agree there will be some trading that will change the landscape of the draft, my mock isn't going to be any more accurate with me trying to project those trades, and trying to figure out trading partners is more added work to the process. So I'm going to save myself the time and not try to factor them in. I usually try to do at least one mock during the offseason where trades are considered, and I believe this year it was before the Rams traded with Washington as I had them dealing with Cleveland.

I really don't see that great a value in taking Cox at #6 either.....DT is usually a part time player as a rookie...and with 2 picks in Round 2 we can take offense in Round 1....

NO to any defensive player at #6

God help us if we wind up with stephen hill with the top pick in the second round. I saw Hill this past friday night at the Georgia Tech spring game. I will say this for the guy, who is huge and built like a block of stone. Of course, stone also described his hands on many occassions over the last couple of years on the field.

ramming speed to all

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